Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
ARAI
I'd been faced with so much death this year that at one point, I'd actually prayed for it.
Prayed for it to take me. To end the nightmare. To stop the pain of losing Mama to cancer and Papa to murder. To escape the trap of marrying Salvatore. To find peace in whatever came after this brutal, violent world.
Death had seemed like mercy. Like the only way out.
But now, sitting in this locked room with my hand pressed against my still-flat stomach, I wanted nothing more than to live.
Not just for myself. For this tiny life growing inside me. This child who deserved a chance I'd almost given up on. This baby who would be born from love instead of violence. From hope instead of despair.
This child would grow up knowing they were wanted. Loved. Protected. They'd have Kai's eyes, I decided. Those dark, intense eyes that saw straight through to my soul. Those eyes that looked at me like I was worth moving heaven and earth for.
This baby would never know the fear I'd lived with. Would never be sold off like property. Would never watch their parents die and feel helpless to stop it.
I'd make sure of that. Even if it killed me. Even if I had to fight Salvatore with my bare hands.
I wanted to live with every ounce of strength in my body, so I would survive this. Somehow. Some way.
I had to.
The bedroom they'd locked me in was on the second floor of the compound. Expensive furniture that meant nothing. Windows that were barred from the outside. Door that was solid wood with a lock I had no hope of picking.
I'd spent the night pacing. Testing the windows. Looking for any weakness. Any way out.
Nothing. The room was designed to hold someone prisoner. And it was doing its job perfectly.
Terror sat in my chest like a living thing. Made breathing difficult. Made thinking nearly impossible.
Salvatore was coming. He'd said so before they'd dragged me here. Said he had business to handle first but then he'd join me. Would claim me tonight before the wedding tomorrow.
The wedding that was happening whether I wanted it or not. Whether Kai saved me or not.
I'd tried to sleep. Couldn't. Just lay on the bed staring at the ceiling. Listening to guards talk outside my door. Watching the sky lighten from black to gray.
Dawn came. I was still alone. Still terrified. Still praying that Kai would somehow find me before it was too late.
Then I heard it. Gunfire. Distant but unmistakable. The rapid crack crack crack of automatic weapons, I bolted upright with my heart hammering. What was happening?
Explosions. Closer now. Making the windows rattle.
Screaming. Men yelling. Running footsteps.
Papa had taught me what to do during gunfights. Get low. Find cover. Stay put unless you had a clear escape route.
I dropped to the floor. Crawled under the bed. It wasn't much protection but it was something.
My mind raced. Who was shooting? Was it Kai? Had he found me? Or was this something else? Salvatore's enemies attacking? Some unrelated violence?
I didn't know. Couldn't know. All I could do was huddle under the bed and pray.
The gunfire got closer. Right outside the building now. Glass shattering. Wood splintering. The sounds of a full-scale battle.
Then silence. Brief. Terrible. The kind that came before something worse.
Footsteps in the hallway. Heavy and running. Getting closer to my door, I held my breath. Tried to make myself smaller. Invisible.
Then I heard banging on my door. Someone trying the handle. Finding it locked and then the sound of something heavy hitting wood. Once. Twice. The door shuddering with each impact.
Terror flooded my system. I didn't know who was on the other side. Didn't know if I should hope they got in or pray they gave up.
What if it was Salvatore? Coming to claim me while his compound was under attack? Using the chaos to finally make me his?
What if it was one of his guards? With orders to kill me? To eliminate the evidence of whatever was happening outside?
What if it was Kai? Actually Kai? Come to save me? I didn't know. Couldn't know. Could only wait and hope and pray. The door splintered. Gave way. Burst open with a crash that made me flinch.
I stayed under the bed. Watching. Waiting.
Boots. Dark. Military-style. Covered in dust and what looked like blood.
Then a voice. Rough. Desperate. Achingly familiar.
"Aria! Where are you? Aria!"
Kai.
Relief hit so hard I nearly sobbed. He'd come. He'd actually come, I scrambled out from under the bed. "I'm here! Kai, I'm here!"
He turned. Our eyes met.
He looked like he'd walked through hell. Blood spattered across his shirt. Dirt and soot on his face. His left arm hung slightly awkward, the bullet wound obviously still causing him pain. His dark eyes were wild. Frantic. Scanning the room for threats.
But when he saw me, everything in his expression changed. Relief. Love. Raw emotion so intense it took my breath away.
I ran to him. Didn't think. Didn't care about anything except getting to him.
He caught me. Arms wrapping around me so tight it almost hurt. His face buried in my hair. His entire body shaking.
"Are you okay? Did he touch you? Did that bastard hurt you?" His hands were moving over me. Checking for injuries. Making sure I was whole.
"I'm fine. I'm okay. He didn't...I'm okay now. You're here. You came for me."
"Always. I'll always come for you. Always." He pulled back just enough to look at my face. His hands cupped my cheeks. "I'm getting you out of here. We're ending this. Right now."
I wanted to respond. Wanted to tell him I loved him. That I'd never doubted he'd come.
Then I saw movement behind him. My eyes caught the figure in the doorway.
Salvatore with a gun in his hand aimed at Kai's back.
"Kai, move!"
The gun fired. The sound deafening in the enclosed space.
Kai moved fast. Shoved me sideways. The bullet missed him by inches. Buried itself in the wall where his head had been.
He pushed me behind him. Put his body between me and Salvatore completely. Human shield. Protector.
Salvatore stood in the doorway "This is touching. Really. My son playing hero for his little whore." Salvatore's voice was cold. Mocking. "But it's over, Kai. You've destroyed everything. Turned my own family against me. Brought the Council down on my head. For what? For her?"
"For justice. For freedom. For having a life that isn't built on murder and control." Kai's voice was steady. Strong. "You're done, old man. Finished. The Council has you. You're going to rot in a cell for killing my mother. For murdering Antonio Romano. For every crime you've committed."
"Maybe. But you won't enjoy your victory." Salvatore's arm shifted. The gun now aimed directly at me. "If I can't have her, neither can you."
Time slowed. I saw his finger starting to squeeze the trigger. Saw Kai's body tense. Saw my death coming. Kai moved. Stepped fully in front of me. Blocked Salvatore's line of fire completely with his own body.
"Shoot me instead. You want to kill someone? Kill me. End this. But you leave her alone. She's innocent in all of this."
"Kai, no..." I tried to pull him back. He wouldn't budge.
"Touching." Salvatore's finger stayed on the trigger. "The son willing to die for his father's bride. Your mother would be so proud. She died trying to protect you too. Didn't work out well for her either."
Then another voice. Small. Broken. Desperate.
"Papa, please don't do this."
Lia appeared in the doorway behind Salvatore. Tears streaming down her face. Hands clasped in front of her like prayer.
I didn't know how she'd gotten here. Suspected Salvatore had brought her after our escape attempt. Used her as insurance. Another piece on his chessboard.
"Please, Papa.You don't have to do this. Just let them go. Let us all go.. Please." She was sobbing now. Full-body shaking. "Don't hurt them. Don't hurt anyone else. Just stop. Please just stop."
Salvatore looked at his daughter. For a second, something flickered in his expression. Something almost human. Almost like regret.
Maybe remembering when she was little. When she'd looked at him with love instead of fear. When he could have chosen to be a real father instead of a monster.
But then his face hardened. The moment passed. Whatever humanity existed in him crushed under years of violence and cruelty.
"You and your brother are a disgrace to the Accardi name. Weak. Emotional. Unfit to carry on what I've built."
The gun started to rise again. Aimed at Kai's head.
Lia's screaming got louder. "No! Papa, no! Please!"
A shot rang out. Everywhere went still, it was that kind of stillness that is described that comes with death, I stared at Kai eyes and he stared at mine. But none of us moved, then slowly I veered to look at Salvatore and that was when I noticed, there was a shot.
But not from Salvatore's gun.
Salvatore jerked. His gun hand exploded in blood and bone. The weapon fell, clattering on the floor.
Marco stood in the doorway beside Lia. Smoking gun in his hand. Expression grim.
"That's enough. It's over."
Kai moved. Fast as lightning. Rushed his father. Tackled him to the ground. Pinned him there with knees on his chest and hands on his throat.
"Don't. Fucking. Move."
Guards rushed in. But not Salvatore's guards. Men I didn't recognize. Wearing vests that said Council Authority.
They pulled Kai off. Hauled Salvatore to his feet. Cuffed his hands behind his back even though one was mangled and bleeding.
Father Benedetto entered. Looking grave. Sad. But also satisfied. Justice being served.
"Salvatore Accardi. You are under arrest by order of the Council for the murder of Don Antonio Romano.
For conspiracy to commit murder. For unauthorized territory expansion.
For treaty violations. And now, we'll add attempted murder of your own children to the list." He gestured to the guards.
"Take him. Let the Council decide his fate. "
Salvatore looked at Kai. Blood dripping from his ruined hand. Face twisted with rage and something that might have been pain.
"I should have killed you years ago. Should have strangled you in your crib. Should have ended your miserable existence before you could betray me."
Kai's face went cold. Empty. Like something had died inside him. Then he spoke with a coldness I have gotten to realize only his father stirred up inside of him.
"I'll see you rot for everything you've done.
The guards dragged Salvatore away. He fought. Struggled. Screaming threats and curses. His voice echoing down the hallway until a door slammed and cut him off.
I stood there. Legs shaking. Mind trying to process that it was over. Actually over.
Then my legs gave out, Kai caught me. Lowered us both to the floor. Held me while everything I'd been holding in came pouring out.
Sobs. Violent and uncontrollable. Relief and terror and joy and grief all mixed together.
"It's over. It's finally over." I couldn't stop saying it. Couldn't believe it was true. "He's gone. We're safe. We're actually safe."
"We're safe." Kai's arms tightened. "You're safe. That's all that matters."
Lia collapsed next to us. Crying just as hard. Kai reached out. Pulled his sister into the embrace. Held both of us while we fell apart.
The three of us. Survivors. Battered and broken but alive.
We'd made it. Against impossible odds. Against a monster who'd tried to destroy us.
We'd survived.